One-room cookery

Steaming is cooking in the steam that rises from boiling water. Half fill the saucepan with water and place the steamer, which is a vessel with holes in the bottom, or an enamel plate over the pan. Bring the water to the boil, then place the food to be cooked in the steamer or on the plate and cover with a lid or another enamel plate. Keep the water in the saucepan boiling, but do not let it boil away. This method will prove exceptionally useful for those who have no grill. %* STEWING Utensils required : a saucepan with a lid. Stewing is cooking slowly in a small quantity of liquid in a saucepan with the lid on. x ROASTING AND BAKING Utensils required : baking tin ; fireproof ware. Roasting and baking in the small oven which is an integral part of some One-room appliances* will, in most cases, take the same time as that required to cook in a full sized oven. An oven will, of course, considerably extend the scope of dishes that can be prepared. * As an alternative to the one-room appliance with an oven, it is possible to obtain a small portable oven which can be used on a gas ring. % POT ROASTING Utensils required : thick bottomed saucepan with tight fitting lid. This is an alternative method of roasting meat when no oven is available. The meat is cooked very slowly in a little dripping, in a saucepan with a tight fitting lid. This method is particularly suitable for tenderising the cheaper cuts of meat. ¥* PRESSURE COOKING Pressure cooking is a time and fuel saving method of carrying out all cooking operations coming under the heading of boiling and simmering. The manufacturer’s instructions should be followed carefully. * QUICK-FROZEN FOODS A wide range of food, both in raw and pre-cooked state, is now preserved by rapid freezing to very low temperatures. Being fresh foods they should be used as soon after purchase as possible, but they may, unless otherwise stated, be kept up to 24 hours in a cool place, or up to 3 days in the ice compartment of a refrigerator. Instructions on the carton should be carefully noted. Vegetables : Cook frozen (or thawed) in the smallest convenient quantity of boiling salted water until tender. Only a fraction of the usual cooking time is needed. Fruit : Cooking varieties—cook frozen or thawed—see carton for special points. Dessert fruits : Thaw in unopened carton at room temperature for 3-4 hours. Fish : Thaw sufficiently to separate fillets, then cook as usual, allowing slightly longer cooking time. Poultry : Thaw completely at room temperature, then cook as usual. Jointed poultry : Cook as soon as defrosted. Pre-cooked foods : Follow manufacturers’ instructions. Soup It is not always practical to make soup in a one-room flat, nor is soupmaking very economical in small quantities, but this does not mean that it should be ruled out of the menu, as the tinned varieties are extremely good. To reheat tinned soup, turn the contents into a saucepan and heat through slowly. The quantity can be increased by using milk, if suitable, otherwise water or the liquor in which vegetables have been canned, may be added. If keeping soup from one day to another, heat what is required and keep the remainder in a covered basin until needed. When entertaining you may, however, prefer to offer your guests homemade soup, and below are three economical and reasonably quick recipes. FRENCH PEASANT SOUP Utensils required : frying pan, sieve, saucepan. 2 or 3 onions ; 2 or 3 tomatoes ; a little margarine ; 14 pints water or mixture of milk and water ; 4 loaf stale brown bread ; saucer of grated cheese ; seasoning.